An application for a solar panel farm of nearly 9,000 panels has been rejected by the New Forest National Park Authority’s Planning Committee.
The proposal was submitted by Trant Estates Ltd for a farm with 8,698 solar panels on a 13.5 hectare area of agricultural land at Fletchwood Lane, Totton within the New Forest National Park.
The committee voted to refuse the application on Tuesday, March 17.
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A spokesperson for the committee said: “The application was refused on the basis that major development of the scale and nature proposed is not considered appropriate within the nationally protected landscape of the New Forest National Park, which has the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty.
“The proposed development would result in unacceptable harm to the intrinsic landscape character of the National Park which cannot be mitigated or outweighed.
“The need for renewable and low carbon development is recognised, and the National Park Authority continues to support appropriate schemes that meet the needs of local communities within the National Park and respect the area’s status as a nationally protected landscape.”
Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council recommended the application be refused, but Netley Marsh Parish Council recommended that permission be granted.
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The planning policy officer who was consulted recommended refusal because they said the proposal was not linked to individual households, businesses or local community use within the National Park, among other reasons.
A spokesperson for Trant Estate said: “We are disappointed by the decision to refuse planning permission for our proposed green energy project, we believed it offered significant benefits to the local environment whilst generating clean energy.
“We worked closely with stakeholder to address environmental and community considerations and remain committed to supporting the transition to renewable energy whilst tackling the climate emergency in the New Forest.
“We will now review the committee’s reasoning in detail before deciding on our next steps.”
The New Forest Association also objected to the application because they said it would not further the purposes of the national park and failed the major development test of the national planning policy framework.
Five members of the public sent letters supporting the application and nine sent letters objecting to it.
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